Before anybody reads, be prepared to get a glass of wine (or any favorite drink, if you're legal age, of course) or otherwise something sweet to excite you because of what happens in here. :$

Love scenes are one of my specialties, and therefore have to be handled with extreme care, because we can't have people disgusted or disappointed if it's rushed or given detail that makes you cringe. I've never done that in all my time here, but you still can't be too careful.

Chapter Nine

The Border Crossed

Her body beneath his, her breasts rubbing against his chest as his body dominated hers, and their sensitive lower parts together to create a powerful wave of passion...

He awoke in a flash, and that was the last straw. He felt the raging in his lower body, because that was the second time he remembered dreaming about Sakura, but he didn't realize he was walking in her direction until he found himself in the hallway...in which she happened to be standing out there at the same time. Was it coincidence or fate?

He just told her that he couldn't sleep, and she said she couldn't either. He meant it when he said he couldn't explain it without wanting to retreat back into his room. It was early morning, the sky was still dark, and it hadn't been that many hours since they went to their separate rooms. But here they were, standing so close together now - and it turned out she had a dream she couldn't explain, too.

"If I'm not being that straightforward, was it...something more personal?" Sasuke couldn't help but ask, leaning close and inhaling her sweet scent, his lips grazing over her flesh. His body temperature raised with each second they remained like this. She agreed with him when she said she was unsure if this was the right time now, but there was another: they were adults, and this could be something they would be able to handle.

Although this was also a risky decision...which she seemed to make on her own when she took his hand and brought it up to run over her bared thigh, the feel of her skin and the emboldened action making him swallow, until finally his palm felt her breast. It was as if his train of thought had been ceased against his will. The heavy flesh felt squishy at the same time, and it felt...pleasant. It also sparked the reaction from her in which she sucked in a breath as the peak hardened like a flower bud ready to bloom.

Her body pushed against him, and his arm went around her waist. Neither were in control of the moment when their lips desperately smashed against each other. His hold on her waist tightened, and he released her breast to join its companion when he clutched both of her hips and then moved down to her firm, shapely backside, hoisting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist to turn around and bring her back into his room, since the guest bed she was given wasn't made for two people with what they both knew they were going to do.

"Sasuke, before we -" He knew what she was going to say, and he held up his hand as he walked around the bed to find the drawer on his side. He pulled out the box of condoms. Her eyes widened. "You knew?"

"Just was hopeful," he answered, opening the box and taking one out to lay on the table surface. He then moved to remove his t-shirt, just as he heard the rustle that was her removing her night shirt, which he thought had fitted her to a tee.

And when he turned around to look at her, he felt his jaw hit the floor.

Slim legs, trim hips - an hourglass body complete with perky breasts peaked a rosy shade darker than her hair. But what struck him as equal was the fact he saw the smooth triangle at the base of her thighs and visible slit. The blood burned in his cheeks, his stomach coiled, and his groin hurt most of all. He had the most painful erection he could remember in his life.

"...are you going to drop the boxers now, Uchiha-san?"

Sasuke did just as she asked, smirking to one side. "Hn...now you get to finally see a naked man, right, Sakura?" he drawled, making her blush deeper. Human beings really had a weakness for bodily reactions in themselves and the other. He then moved to slip back into his bed, breaking eye contact for the moment, and it was then that she followed, crawling atop him and pushing the covers down so there was nothing but them and their bodies. A feast for the eyes.

If he didn't know any better, he'd say Sakura Haruno transformed into a little naughty minx before his eyes, for someone who was supposed to be an innocent little virgin. Although, he remembered she had read up and studied in her life, so this shouldn't have surprised him. Her breasts jiggled in front of his eyes, tempting him like two melons. Sasuke leaned up and took a nipple into his mouth, making her sigh a little. She leaned closer for him to have more. She smelled so good, so sweet, but not enough to make him sick to his stomach. Perhaps because it was Sakura.

She sniffed him then when she came to lay her body atop his, just for a moment. One thigh wrapped around his hip, her silken womanhood rubbing against him briefly, but the spark was still there, slowly warming into the fire that had been spreading without containment. "You smell good, Sasuke. What is in here?"

He chuckled. That was some good talk when they were about to make love. That sounds much better than just sex. "It's citrus, lavender and sandalwood," he answered. He then placed a kiss on her shoulder when she pushed her hair aside as she looked at him.

"I like it." Sakura then kissed him on the cheek. This was more like an innocent make out session, like the two innocents they were, but it was also building up for more. Their lower bodies pressed together was proof of that. Sasuke then took control and reversed their positions, rolling her onto her back and finding himself over her. The fire was too much now; time might have felt forever, but it was not an issue. Who knew what was going to happen in the morning, but they were too far in to turn back now.

He reached over to pick up the wrapped rubber and tore it open with his teeth before taking it out and bringing it down to place over the tip of his manhood. He gritted his teeth at the very good pressure applied to the sensitive tip, going throughout his length. He was surprised when her hand came over to run through the wild forest of black hairs crowning the base of his aching need. Sasuke couldn't stop the sharp exhale that escaped him when her fingernails gently scratched him without breaking the delicate skin. He had to bat it away then so he could bring his hips against hers, feeling the soft petals part to release saccharine nectar on him. He hadn't realized it would be that sweet, because biology was hardly ever pleasant in sense and smell.

"Is it going to hurt?" he asked, remembering the basics, but he could have sworn that for a female - when it was man and woman - that it would hurt her the first time. She had something called a...what was it again? A thin piece of skin in there that showed she hadn't been with a man, but when it was gone, then it meant unlimited access.

She nodded. "Just for a moment, I think. I'll be fine," she assured him, patting his shoulder, but she sounded a little unsure herself. He bit his lip and slowly inserted himself further in. The skin inside was slick and wet, hot like lava. He wasted no time sheathing all the way to the hilt, and it was then that he could have sworn he felt himself breaking something in there, because she hissed and clutched his forearms, digging her nails into his skin enough to make it break. He grunted at the tear of his flesh and little river of blood.

"I'm sorry, Sakura."

"It's fine."

They went at it like two flames dancing against the shadows, the powerful sensations driving their bodies to overlap their limits. Each thrust brought them closer to the edge - and nearly rolling off the bed on both sides when it got too far - before the eruption of white-hot pleasure between their bodies rendered them passing into a deep slumber in each other's arms until dawn broke.

~o~

Last night had them both woken and feeling like jelly when his alarm rung them - and just as they had dressed back up, though she was still in her nightshirt, they accidentally stumbled across Kabuto who turned beet red and burst out laughing when he realized what had happened, then turned the other way to get breakfast ready.

It was around afternoon when Sasuke did the honors of ordering them both fast food and bringing to the house. And to see him in a black t-shirt and jeans - man was he really casual sex on legs! Sakura couldn't stop giggling as she remembered last night...

"You know, out of everything I've seen you eat, I didn't think you'd like fast food," she said after taking a drink of Coke.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked with a chuckle. Never saw you ate it. He shook his head when she told him that. And maybe last night was also making them have a hell of an appetite right now at this time of day. "You know, you're starting to know everything about me."

Yeah, both them telling about their lives, and how each of them dealt with loss in their own way. As for him, he was a miracle to get out of that black pit, because not a lot of people could. And nobody was ever alone when they had someone to help them. Sakura picked up her burger and took another bite.

To follow was none other than some relaxation - and naked - in his Jacuzzi which she remembered having a very unpleasant memory involving his mother's book, but now that it was brought up, she and Sasuke thought to get a little adventurous in here just like the main couple did early in the novel. Which resulted in nearly melted bones to the core and the verge of passing out.

By the time the day was over, she was back home. In time for her father to return home the next day, and she was heading to work for her shift, and to Ino. Though she wasn't ready to confide in her friend about losing her virginity to her boss just yet - although with what happened, I don't think it's that anymore. Boss and assistant never do what we just did.

"Was your weekend fine without me, kumquat?" Kizashi asked, kissing her forehead.

"It certainly was," she answered with a bright smile. His eyes twinkled, but did he catch on? "What about you?"

"The best I've had in a long time. I forgot what it was like to be a single guy again, Sakura." Oh, if you met someone new, please don't scar me with the details.

Halfway through the shift, when she was at the computer, Ino slipped by and asked her how everything was between her and Sasuke. "The...best, since the weekend," she answered. "I got him to enjoy Kwaidan during the day." Was a little lie going to hurt anyone? Ino would know all the details someday soon enough.

"I hope he did love it as much as you say," the blonde told her with a wink, "so why don't we make the most of it and do something fun?" Sakura agreed; she was so happy right now that she agreed in a heartbeat. "Plus, Kiba has been asking about you if you're still open..."

Oh, damn it, Kiba. How could I have forgotten about him? She must have said his name aloud, because Ino asked her what the problem was. "I was kind of...rude to him the last time I saw him," she confessed. Except rude was an understatement.

"He told me about that. But I wouldn't worry about what he said. He just...wants to see you."

Sakura exhaled sharply. Now that the border was crossed with Sasuke, she wasn't looking forward to Kiba time, but she had no choice but to just humor him. And from the looks of it, she might have led him on, although because she knew what he did to Sasuke when they were in high school, she needed to get him straight sooner or later.

The next day, they had lunch at the local diner, and he paid for it. She just let him and thanked him when it was done. "Sakura," he said, his tone foreshadowing, "I rented some movies if you wanted to watch them with me sometime before you go off and vanish with Mr. Riches again."

She sighed. "Why do you insist on making fun of him like this?"

"Everyone knows he's a difficult guy. That's why they called him 'The Beast'." Because those people don't know him like I do - yourself included. You know nothing besides making his life worse than it was. But if she said that, she ended up springing the trap.

"Well, thanks for lunch." But before she could go, he stopped her with what she never thought she'd hear.

"Look," Kiba said, looking at her with puppy dog eyes, "I'm sorry for being out of line. I just want you to know how great you are, and I want you to have everything you deserve." She jumped a little and held her breath when he boldly took her hand and held it in his. The feeling was so uncomfortable, even when he told her she was special.

She was in such a mess when she found herself back in Sasuke's office not long later. She couldn't stop thinking about what Kiba told her. He called her special, but Sasuke didn't - but what the hell did it matter? Sasuke said so much more than that; he even took notice of her compassion, he gave her so many chances even when he was difficult in the beginning. He even trusted her with his darkest secrets as she did him.

She NEVER told Kiba any of this, and he never did either. But he was also the guy who made Sasuke cut his own wrists...and with the same razor blade that was now on display right before her eyes. And on the shelf beneath it was a photograph of him as a young boy with his entire family. The happier times, and even Itachi gave no sign of snapping and becoming a psychopath...

That fact continued to bother her. He'd been a thirteen-year-old child, so why would a kid grab a knife one night and slaughter his own parents before his baby brother came home?

We've been on a good road, and yet here I am still wondering all this. It's not healthy for me or him. We live in the present now, not the past. And the future is too depressing to think about.

~o~

Sasuke had been gone for the day and was just coming home, passing through the kitchen. "How was your trip?" Kabuto asked him brightly. The Uchiha smiled back before leaving to take his bag to his room so he could unpack himself.

When he was done, a well-deserved shower came in mind. He never realized how...strenuous life had really been. Perhaps it was because he had been looking forward to coming back home just because of Sakura...

"Sakura did check in while you were gone," Kabuto told him with a knowing twinkle. "I told you she was a good one." Yes, she is. "And if I may be so bold, when you going to let her off the hook...?"

He knew what that meant; she'd done more than enough time, and it was true: why could he keep her like this forever? But then again, at Kabuto's suggestion, he could give her the choice to stay if she wanted to. But would she take it?

When he was relaxed and in his office, he decided to call her, and she was at home, surprisingly. "How was your trip?" she asked, seemingly in bright spirits because it was clear she MISSED him. Knowing that made him feel...bubbly inside. Like a giddy schoolboy whose prospective date to prom answered yes to him.

"I'll tell you about it, but if you have time...would you come over?" He just missed her so much he had to see her, even if it was an odd time. She sounded taken off-guard, but she answered that she would be there. "I don't really have anything for you to do, but I wanted to talk to you about something." Kabuto was right about giving her the option, and today seemed as good as any day. He felt so excited his stomach acids bubbled.

Under half an hour later, he heard the front door downstairs open, and he rushed out of his office to see her -

- only to be greeted with the harshest, reddening SMACK to the cheek he'd ever received. He stumbled back, clutching that spot and looking at her, blinking away the white spots that danced before his eyes. Her face was deathly calm, but her eyes blazed green fire. "How...could you?" She tried to shout, but resulted in broken sobs she fought to hold back.

Sasuke was still rubbing his burning skin when his mind went on a whirlwind. What...what was going on? What had he done? "After all this time, and I thought you were different!" she finally screamed at him. "And after I gave myself to you, you did this to us! I thought everything everyone said about you wasn't true! I even DEFENDED you!"

"Sakura!" he finally burst out. He ducked another blow that she aimed for his face.

"Don't. You. DARE." That look she gave him now was pure spite. Hateful. Disgust. "Sasuke Uchiha, you really are a beast."

Beast.

She called him that name, and while it hurt so much, he still couldn't figure out what he had done. But she wasn't giving him a chance to speak. "Sakura, wait!" he shouted when she turned to leave him, and his legs were too weak to chase after her.

Kabuto didn't show up, but he must have heard everything. Sasuke appreciated his friend not appearing after this, because right now, he found himself on his knees in the same spot, staring out after the place where Sakura Haruno, his assistant - and the woman he realized he was in love with - had ran out on him.

The lemon wasn't that graphic (not by PWP standards), but that's not important. What matters is the emotional aspect.

But OMG, there are no words to describe the emotional impact just now. :'( What's Sasuke going to do now since he realizes he loved Sakura...and what could it have been that had her leave him?

Reviews appreciated, and lots of tissues if the revelation of their backstories before didn't make you bawl enough...